The Phisherman and Little Red Riding Hood
A cautionary tale from Marc Saltzman and eBay
“Little Red Riding Hood perfectly illustrates modern-day phishing and online identity theft,” says Det. Patti Nichol with the EPS Economic Crimes Section. “Like the fairy tale, there is a Big Bad Wolf pretending to be someone we can trust just long enough to take advantage of us. Unfortunately, these frauds do not have happy endings in real life.”
“Phishing” is similar to fishing – fraudsters use counterfeit emails and websites to lure in consumers to get their personal or financial information. Because they appear legitimate, like the wolf dressing up as Grandma in Little Red Riding Hood, victims voluntarily provide their information to fraudsters or can fall prey to the fraudsters’ spyware. It is estimated there are over 10,000 active phishing websites worldwide.
Identity thefts and frauds are the fastest growing crimes in Canada, and are also on the rise in Edmonton. The EPS Economic Crimes Section investigated 52 reports of identity theft in 2014, up 86 per cent over 2013. There were 291 reports of identity frauds in 2014, up 25 per cent over 2013. Across Canada in 2014, there were 5,300 reports of identity theft and 20,611 reports of identity fraud, with a dollar loss of approximately $10.48 M.
Identity theft occurs when personal or financial information is stolen and used without the individual’s knowledge or consent to commit further crimes such as fraud or theft. The information can be stolen electronically or physically. The perpetrators range from petty criminals to international crime syndicates and even terrorist organizations.
A victim’s personal finances, credit ratings, criminal records and even reputation can be ruined. Afterwards, victims often have to navigate a complex maze of identity recovery and redress options that can take years.
Tips to protect against identity theft:
- Be cautious when you are asked for any personal information. Ask how it will be used, why it is needed, and how it will be protected. When in doubt, don’t give it out.
- Do not reply to any phone calls or emails, or click on links or open attachments that are asking for personal information.
- Lock down and secure your computer and programs/applications. Ensure anti-virus and firewalls are installed and current. Use strong passwords and encryption, and check privacy settings.
- Shop securely at online sites that show a lock icon or green highlighted URL. You can also look for the added “s” (meaning secure) in the address bar (https://). When shopping in person, use microchip enabled debit/credit card pin pad terminals only.
- Consider what you carry in your wallet or purse, and remove social insurance cards or birth certificates.
- Protect your mail. Review financial statements and credit reports regularly. Shred any personal information that you are throwing out.
- Discuss with family members the importance of maintaining privacy and safeguarding information.
- Check with your home insurance company about adding identity protection coverage to help prevent identity theft and more easily recover from it.
EPS Online Safety Video for Youths
Det. Nichol adds, “Just like Little Red Riding Hood, youth can be particularly vulnerable to identity theft because they are very trusting and have a tendency to overshare personal information online and on social media. They also have clean credit reports, so thieves can create new accounts in their name, and the victims won’t notice until they get a surprise credit card bill in the mail, or later when they apply for a driver’s licence or student loan, or go to buy a car.”
To help youth navigate online privacy risks, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has created the graphic novel Social Smarts: Privacy, the Internet and You. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner also offers additional information about identity theft and what to do about it. A variety of other identity theft and fraud awareness resources are also available online from Service Alberta, and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
If you are the victim of identity theft, please report it to the Edmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567or #377 from a mobile phone, and contact the Canadian Identity Theft Support Centre for further assistance. Anonymous information about frauds and other economic crimes can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.tipsubmit.com/start.htm.